Are you looking for a new job, out of work, or know someone who is? We created a transition group in October that now meets every month. Our goal is to provide support, connection and prepare you for the job search. Our tagline is Together, Let’s Get Back to Work!

We meet every second Wednesday at Community Bible Church of Northern Westchester

Due to a scheduled event this month, we are meeting TONIGHT! Please feel free to join us at 6:30pm for coffee and encouragement. You don’t have to go through your job search alone.

In 2010, I created a set of goals. It was an aggressive list of over 27 goals broken into 9 categories. I’ve been working on those goals ever since. They weren’t exactly new year’s resolutions because I knew that was too much to expect but I think the categories might be a helpful way of determining where you need to improve most.

For each category above, I create a list of things I thought were critical and that I either aspired to do, or to continue to do. So, for example, under knowing God my list looked like this:

I choose the goal ‘Knowing God’ to show here because it is probably the most generic and many of these goals probably could apply to you as well. My goals under the other categories are very specific to my walk and may not apply.

I know, and science proves, that the highest achievers all have one thing in common… you guessed it, they set goals. So, I’m reviewing my goals before I start the year so I can make sure I focus my attention. I’m far from where I want to be and likely even farther from where God wants me to be.

We had the pleasure of participating in a great event last night. Led by Movement Church in Staten Island and sponsored by multiple organizations and individuals. I met individuals from Tennessee, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and other locations that all came out to help those in need. The Gospel was on their lips and in their hearts and honestly I wanted to recruit all of them to minister in Westchester. They are exactly where they need to be and Pastor Steve and Pastor Al of Movement Church are an inspiration.

After being down in Staten Island multiple times and seeing what Movement Church is doing, I can whole-heartedly endorse their work and encourage donations. Please consider giving either financial or by donating your time. Thank you!

A friend of mine asked me that yesterday. I told him that we are more than half way there (today is day 22). But we also talked about falling into the trap of journaling out of obligation. We both shared that we have a sense of relief once we have something written down. I told him that when I persevered and continued in quiet time and journaling, not out of obligation (I had met my obligation) but on my own – God rewarded me with insights I wouldn’t have received otherwise. He quickly responded, ‘Don’t try to make me feel guilty now!’. We both smiled.

If you are going through this journey with us – fantastic! My hope is not that you will become a person that journals daily, necessarily, but that you will realize the value of spending time with God and listening for His word. I pray that you gain a greater hunger for more of Him.

Why did we choose 40 days anyway!?

The period of 40 days is significant in the Bible and used multiple times. This included the 40 days and nights that it rained on Noah and the ark, the time Moses spent on the mountain, the numbers of days Goliath came out against the Israelites before David killed him, and especially the time Jesus fasted in the wilderness. This time is always a period of testing and trial, and it ends with a period of restoration, revival, or renewal.

May these 40 days, through December 21st, end with a period of restoration that makes the true meaning of Christmas that much more pronounced this year.

I received this prayer request from one of the men in our ministry and he said that I could share it here. I would bet that we can all agree with the sentiments of this prayer. May the true meaning of Christmas shine through this season, for all of us!

Men, My prayer is that coming into this holiday season, we not forget the true meaning of our celebration and that we guard our hearts and minds from distractions, subtle behaviors and not so subtle behaviors that could pull us away from God and grieve the Holy Spirit.

I know in the past, it has been very easy for me to conform to the world’s point of view and start setting up and worshiping idols. It is in these times that Screwtape gets a hold of me and says it’s okay to participate in certain behaviors and attitudes because it’s the holidays and it won’t offend the Lord. That leads to a very slow and steady decent into self deception and before I know it I am far far away from God.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2 NIV

“Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way. For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence. The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble. My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil. ” -Proverbs 4:14-27 NIV

Today is day 16 of our 40 day challenge, how have you been doing? Why not write a comment here or tell us on our Facebook page. You can find us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/NYMensministry

God had been reminding me about Himself, that is who He is, and that He is trustworthy. I thought I would share this below, recent journal entry. I hope it blesses you!

God is in Control – Trust God, Follow Him

“Peter … said to Jesus, ‘But Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘… what is that to you? You follow Me'” – John 21:21-22

“My eyes are on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me…” – Psalm 101:6

“Then the angel showed me the river of life rising from the throne of God and the lamb, and flowing crystal-clear. Down the middle of the city street, on either bank of the river were the trees of life, which bear twelve crops of fruit in a year, one in each month, and the leaves of which are cure for the nations. The curse of destruction will be abolished.” – Revelations 22:1-3

manualoflife.com

River of life is rising from the throne – Life originates from God

The water is crystal-clear, that is absolutely no imperfections

Abundant crops – twelve a year! Signifying God’s abundance!

Curse abolished – no destruction, satan has been destroyed

Tree of life – instead of being associated with the first sin, it is now the cure for all nations

Hymn – Open My Eyes that I May See – Clara Scott

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of the truth you have for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
that will unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready, My God, your will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit Divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth you send me clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear,
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready, my God, your will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit Divine!

Open my mouth and let me bear
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with your children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready, my God, your will to see.
Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit Divine!

(Judgement on Judah)

“And in that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and for mourning, for baldness and for girding with sack cloth. But instead, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: ‘let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.'” – Isaiah 22:12-13

Lord, I ask that You open my eyes, as you did John’s in his writing of Revelations. May I not look at others to judge or to prevent your Your will but seek Your will for me! May I be sad and repent when I grieve You. May I celebrate when You are happy. May my life be a tree of life, supplied and nurtured by You, and a blessing to all that see, taste and are touched by it. May I be silent and humble before You. May I be ready to hear You and to act in Your name. May I be a joy to You. May Your eyes ever be on me.

I’m really excited that many people have told me that they want to commit to journaling for 40 days with us! I know God will bless the time we commit to being with Him.

We’ve decided to allow as much flexibility as possible. We encourage you to find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed then:

Pray – Ask God to quiet your mind of any worries or tasks that have to be done. Ask Him to be with you and to speak with you. “Come into His presence”

Scripture – God often talks through His scripture and He never talks contrary to it! You may want to follow a Bible plan or read the scripture for the coming Sunday. We have some recommendations below but this is entirely up to you.

Meditate / Journal – You may find yourself stopping midway through your Bible reading because a phrase or image struck you. Write it down; why did it resonate with you? Is there something going on in your life or a desire of your heart that you want to share with God?

One final thing to remember, our goal isn’t to finish a book, or read a lot of scripture in these 40 days although we may do some of both. It is to hear God and to ‘chase after Him’. To become more in tune with His voice and respond to His prompting.

Chasing After You

Someone shared this video with me recently and I think it is perfect for us, as we embark on ‘chasing after God’.

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Special Note for Community Bible Church members:

In Sunday’s Sermon, we saw from Psalm 55 some healthy ways of dealing with our negative emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, sadness, depression. If you missed the sermon, you can watch it here: http://cbcnw.sermon.tv/

You can find scripture readings for each day of the week in the bulletin. Here are some questions for you to consider as you journal this week:

What stood out to you? Have you experienced any negative emotions lately? How did you deal with them? Did you pay attention to them? Can you pay attention to them now? What might God be trying to teach you about yourself or Him through them?

My daughter lived 780 days (2 years and 2 months) and we often wondered after she died, if she knew Jesus. She Did! We know we will see her again and I hope her story will be a comfort to others who have experienced loss. May God comfort you and bless you!

Emily was born on February 13, 2002 with Carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase (CACT) deficiency which is a genetic disorder that prevents the proper breakdown of fats. This leads to excess ammonia in the blood (hyperammonemia), an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly), and a weakened heart muscle (cardiomyopathy). Emily died on April 3, 2004 of cardiomyopathy.

Carolyn and Terence miss Emily very much. We know that she lights up heaven just a little more with her presence but this world is that much dimmer without her.

I struggle with anxiety. I guess this isn’t too hard to admit here, since many of you don’t know my name. My guess is that I’m not the only Christian that does. According to recent statistics about 18% of people over 18 suffer from some form of anxiety. That’s about 40 million adults in the US. Actually, anxiety disorders are the number one mental health problem in America, surpassing even depression in numbers. So, I’m clearly not alone.

Embarrassed by Anxiety

That said, once my anxiety became a true problem a few years ago, I started to also feel guilty. I thought, if I had more faith, I wouldn’t be anxious. I felt that my anxiety was a verdict on the state of my walk with God. It took me a long time to realize that this might not be true.

I read all the scriptures that said we should “be anxious for nothing…” (Phil 4:6) but trust in the Lord who is sovereign. I tried – but I remained anxious. Through this experience I realized two things:

“…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” – Romans 8:26

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” 1 Peter 5:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” – Philippians 4:6-7

Scripture doesn’t condemn anxiety, it seems to compassionately try to help you avoid it and overcome it. This is an important difference. I don’t believe anxiety is a sin, still God doesn’t desire us to be anxious. He wants us to turn to Him in everything and trust him.

Actually, it is interesting that many famous Christians have suffered from anxiety including Abraham Lincoln, Rick Warren, John Bunyan (Pilgrim’s Progress) and even Charles Spurgeon (known as the ‘Prince of Preachers’) may have struggled with it. They all had a huge impact and therefore anxiety doesn’t need to stop us.

Practical Solutions to Anxiety

God says that we should trust him with our finances but that doesn’t mean we don’t create a budget. He tells us that He will always be with us, but that doesn’t mean we should haphazardly walk through a terrible area of town. Likewise, there are practical things we can do, and avoid when it comes to anxiety.

Please note, there are many reasons for anxiety and sometimes professional help and medication is the best answer. What I’ve found is that I need to know what I’m trusting God for, and therefore thinking through and journaling about it helps.

In our next blog, we are going to go through two tools. A simple breathing exercise and what is called cognitive restructuring which is closely linked to journaling but with a focus on dealing with the anxiety of the moment. Look for this blog on Thursday, November 1st

Let us know your thoughts; does this subject resonate with you? Have you felt guilty because of anxiety? What has helped you to overcome your anxiety? We want to hear what you have to say!